Gehlot meets slain Udaipur tailor’s family, criticises delay in justice
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the previous Congress government provided ₹50 lakh financial assistance to Teli’s family and government jobs for his sons
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday met the family of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli, whose murder in Udaipur in 2022 sparked communal tensions, and criticised the delay in justice in the case. He said the federal National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the case when he was the chief minister, had failed to secure punishment for the accused.
Gehlot, who maintained that the case was open and shut, said the previous Congress government provided ₹50 lakh financial assistance to Teli’s family and government jobs for both of his sons to ensure they could sustain themselves. “Our government arrested the culprits within just four hours of the incident,” he said in a tweet. He said that Teli’s family remains distressed due to the delay in justice and urged the central government to take the matter seriously and ensure a speedy resolution.
In September last year, the Rajasthan high court granted bail to Muhammed Javed, one of the accused in the conspiracy behind the murder, citing a “lack of evidence”. Javed was accused of planning the murder along with Muhammed Riyaz Attari and Muhammed Gaus.
Attari and Gaus were caught on camera pretending to get measurements before they attacked and beheaded Teli. The murder provoked outrage as the attackers claimed responsibility in a video. The attackers told investigators that they murdered Teli as he allegedly supported Nupur Sharma, who was suspended from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for her remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.
Attari and Gaus were arrested hours after the murder in Rajsamand, about 150km from Udaipur. Five people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.
The NIA took over the probe from the state police and arrested 11 people. It claimed the accused were self-radicalised and that Attari had links with a Pakistan-based group. The NIA filed a charge sheet against all the accused in a special court in February 2014.
BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bharadwaj accused Gehlot of shedding crocodile tears. He added that Teli received death threats during Gehlot’s tenure, and yet he was not provided security. “Terrorists brutally slit his throat. The fleeing terrorists were caught by villagers and handed over to the police, but Gehlot protected the families of the terrorists. Those who, while in government, sided with a particular community are now shedding crocodile tears.”
Bharadwaj said Rajasthan’s BJP government is committed to ensuring strict punishment for the terrorists.
